Depression is the primary characteristic of mood or affective disorders. It is estimated that in the U.S. 1 out 10 persons in the general population will suffer from depression during their lifetime. Although there are many drug therapies available, the current treatment is only effective in 70% of the patient population. There is still a lack of adequate treatment for the remaining 30% and more new drug therapies are urgently needed. Due to these facts, it has remained a major challenge to medicinal chemists to develop a new class of antidepressants.
It has now been discovered that hydroxyalkyltetrahydroisoquinoline derived carbamate and thiocarbamate compounds have demonstrated significant activity with respect to central nervous systems models, including depression, with excellent toxicological profiles.